Corruption Charges Trigger Chinese General's Court-Martial

Once second in command of the world's largest military, Chinese General Xu Caihou will face a court martial on corruption charges, Chinese state media said Monday.

The 71-year-old Xu, who retired last year, is accused of accepting bribes and using his former position as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission to give promotions.

He has been living under virtual house arrest for months.

Xu is the highest-ranking official to date swept up by President Xi Jinping's crackdown on corruption.

State media also say that Xu and three others -- Jiang Jiemin, former head of China's state asset regulator, Li Dongsheng, former vice minister of public security, and Wang Yongchun -- have been expelled from the Communist Party for graft.

The three other men are said to be allies of China's former security chief Zhou Yongkang.

Zhou is a former senior Communist Party and Politburo Standing Committee member official, and is widely believed to be at the center of a different corruption probe. He is thought to be in custody, but has not been formally charged.